Phase Dragon

The phase dragon is another monster from the Creature Catalog II in Dragon Magazine #94, by Samuel Offutt. As far as I can find, this is the only appearance. They must spend the rest of the time on the ethereal plane.

From a design perspective, I based the stats on the copper dragon wyrmling, with the breath weapon size of the green dragon wyrmling. I also copied over the effects of the confusion spell into the stat block.

Since I keep these in my Google Drive, I find it much easier just to put all the effects into one page as opposed to linking it. Less tabs to open. As another example, in my document on the staff of fire, I copy and pasted the burning hands, fireball, and wall of fire spells as well, so I wouldn’t have to look them up separately.

Phase Dragon

Medium dragon, chaotic good or chaotic neutral

Armor Class 16, natural armor

Hit Points 22 (4d8+4)

Speed 30 feet, fly 60 feet

STR

DEX

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

15 (+2)

12 (+1)

13 (+1)

14 (+2)

11 (+0)

13 (+1)

Saving Throws Dex +3, Con +3, Wis +2, Cha +3

Skills Perception +4, Stealth +6

Senses blindsight 10 feet, darkvision 60 feet, passive Perception 14

Languages Draconic

Challenge 1 (200 XP)

Ethereal Jaunt. As a bonus action, the phase dragon can magically shift from the Material Plane to the Ethereal Plane, or vice versa.

Actions

Bite.Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.

Hit: 7 (1d10+2) piercing damage.

Confusion Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon exhales a gas in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 11 Wisdom saving throw or become confused, as the spell. An affected target can’t take reactions and must roll a d10 at the start of each of its turns to determine its behavior for that turn.

d10

Behavior

1

The creature uses all its movement to move in a random direction. To determine the direction, roll a d8 and assign a direction to each die face. The creature doesn’t take an action this turn.

2–6

The creature doesn’t move or take actions this turn.

7–8

The creature uses its action to make a melee attack against a randomly determined creature within its reach. If there is no creature within its reach, the creature does nothing this turn.

9–10

The creature can act and move normally.

At the end of each of its turns, an affected target can make a Wisdom saving throw. If it succeeds, this effect ends for that target.

Phase dragons are a glossy light blue-gray in color, and their scales have a mother-of-pearl sheen to them.

The phase dragon can be found almost anywhere, although it prefers sparsely inhabited areas in and around forests. Its lair can be found in caves and in stout, hollow trees. Though of medium size, a phase dragon is as greedy as any other dragon and covets precious metals, gems, and magic items.

This dragon’s phasing ability allows it to shift out of phase with its surroundings; it uses this power when attacking or being attacked. The dragon will bring itself back into phase when it is ready to deliver a bite or breath weapon (it can see its surroundings even when out of phase). When out of phase, the dragon cannot be struck by normal weapons. Other ethereal beings can also attack it.

Because a phase dragon hates to fight, it will prefer to use its breath weapon first in an unfriendly encounter and then try to escape.